Skills Development Presentation On February 25
The Garden Club of Bermuda will be hosting a public presentation of the Skills Development Program on Monday, February 25th at 6.00pm at The Cathedral Hall on Church Street.
A spokesperson said, “It goes without saying that The Garden Club of Bermuda has a fundamental interest in horticulture. We are a local charity, almost 100 years old, and we have a long-standing commitment to provide annual scholarships to eligible students, wanting to further their education in horticulture and its related subjects.
“For the past four years since its inception, the Skills Development Program, under the very able leadership of Roger Parris and Sam Santucci of the Department of Parks, has partnered with the Garden Club.
“This initiative is supported by numerous Government departments, the Bermuda Industrial Union, Court Services and various community agencies to provide this unique, innovative curriculum of hands-on training for young Bermudians to develop useful skills in horticulture and landscaping, including CPR, Health & Safety – skills that will equip them to make positive lifestyle changes and ultimately become contributing members of our Island community.
“This program has grown from strength to strength and has become a successful community partnership. Through the Garden Club’s fund-raising efforts and its scholarship award program, along with generous donations from local businesses and private individuals, we are able to provide a lunch program for the students, along with stipends to the trainees at key intervals in their course as well as purchase tools and equipment for their use.
“In March 2018, The Rev. Christopher Colledge, as Chairman of Bournemouth in Bloom, visited Bermuda and was invited to speak at a Garden Club meeting. This was the very beginning of our collaboration, as he met Roger Parris that week and visited the Skills Development Program. Rev. Colledge was then instrumental in forging a relationship between Bournemouth and Bermuda.
“As a result, last summer, four Skills Development interns were sent to the U.K. with Roger Parris for a 3-week intensive learning experience in Bournemouth, hosted by their local Council. They were exposed to all aspects of running a Parks Department, local gardens, arboriculture, turf management, maintaining garden beds etc. and were all hired locally upon their return on the Island.
“The Garden Club of Bermuda and the Department of Parks, is pleased to support the visit of three Bournemouth delegates to our Island from February 19 – March 1st, 2019. Rev. Colledge will again be coming to visit local schools and community organizations, including local Rotary Clubs. He will speak about U.K. educational programs, apprenticeship schemes and opportunities for Bermudians to enroll in courses at Bournemouth College.
“Mr. Nicholas Colledge, an arborist, will be conducting a tree audit in our local parks, including the Arboretum, Botanical Gardens and other public parks. The students will greatly benefit from his knowledge and expertise in their workshops.
“Mr. Christopher Evans, a Master Horticulturalist, is coming to the Island to lead workshops with the students and with Garden Club members, visiting Government departments and various properties where Skills Development Program students have now found full-time employment.
“The Garden Club of Bermuda will be hosting a Public Presentation of the Skills Development Program at The Cathedral Hall on Church Street on Monday, February 25th at 6:00 p.m. where several presentations will be made by Mr. Parris and our Bournemouth visitors. All are welcome. Light refreshments will be served.”
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